Information transmission method, terminal device, and network device

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present application disclose an information transmission method, a terminal device and a network device. The method comprises: a terminal device receiving a first synchronization signal block and a physical downlink control channel sent by a network device in a first time slot or a first mini-slot, wherein the first time slot or the first mini-slot comprises N symbols, the first synchronization signal block occupies M consecutive symbols in the first time slot or the first mini-slot, the first synchronization signal block comprises a synchronization signal and a physical broadcast channel, M and N are positive integers, and M≤N. The method, terminal device and network device of the embodiments of the present application can achieve efficient multiplexing of synchronization signals, broadcast channels, and downlink control channels while meeting the high-frequency band and multi-beam transmission requirements of NR, reducing control signaling overheads and terminal complexity, and improving resource utilization and flexibility of a communication system.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is an application under 35 U.S.C. 371 of InternationalApplication No. PCT/CN2017/078049 filed on Mar. 24, 2017, the entirecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The embodiments of the disclosure relates to the field of communication,and in particular to a method, a terminal device and a network devicefor information transmission.

BACKGROUND

In a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a time domain position of aPhysical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) is completely fixed andlocated on the first several symbols (max. 3) of each sub-frame of 1 ms.A Synchronization Signal (SS) and a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) ofLTE Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) are respectively in differentslots of one sub-frame. In a New Radio (NR) system, a multi-beamtechnology is introduced in a high-frequency band, that is, a networkdevice alternatively sends signals of multiple beams in a Time DivisionDuplexing (TDD) manner, so the signals are sent only on some beams ineach time unit to concentrate energy and expand coverage. According tothe existing research on NR, each beam transmits the SS and the PBCH inone SS block, and the SS block is at the central portion of a systembandwidth. Therefore, the network resource utilization of the existingNR solution is low.

SUMMARY

In view of this, the disclosure provides a method, a terminal device anda network device for information transmission, which may achieveefficient multiplexing of SSs, Physical Broadcast Channels (PBCHs) andPDCCHs while meeting the transmission requirements of the NRhigh-frequency band, thereby reducing control signaling overheads andterminal complexity, and improving resource utilization and flexibilityof a communication system.

A first aspect provides a method for information transmission. Themethod may include the following operation. A terminal device receives,in a first slot or a first mini-slot, a first SS block and a first PDCCHsent by a network device. The first slot or the first mini-slot includesN symbols. The first SS block occupies M consecutive symbols in thefirst slot or the first mini-slot. The first SS block includes an SS anda PBCH. M and N are positive integers, and M≤N.

In at least one embodiment, the terminal device may also receive thefirst SS block and the first PDCCH in a sub-frame or other time domainscheduling units. One time domain scheduling unit may include multiplesub-carriers or the whole system bandwidth in the frequency domain.

In an NR system, one SS block adopts one beam. Different SS blocks adoptdifferent beams.

In at least one embodiment, the first SS block may also occupy multiplediscrete symbols in one time domain scheduling unit.

In a possible implementation mode, the symbols occupied by the firstPDCCH are at least partially overlapped with the symbols occupied by thefirst SS block, and frequency domain resources occupied by the firstPDCCH are non-overlapped with frequency domain resources occupied by thefirst SS block do not overlap.

In a possible implementation mode, the first SS block occupies a firstsymbol to an Mth symbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot.

A downlink time domain scheduling unit of this structure may enable aterminal to read immediately the PDCCH and system information of thepresent domain scheduling unit after the terminal completes cell search.Therefore, the accessing time of the terminal to a network can beshortened, and power consumption of the terminal accessing the networkis saved.

In at least one embodiment, the first SS block may occupy the middle Mconsecutive symbols of the first slot or the first mini-slot.

In a possible implementation mode, the first PDCCH occupies the firstsymbol to a Pth symbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot, and thefirst PDCCH is located on at least one side of a bandwidth of the firstSS block in the frequency domain. P is a positive integer, and P≤M.

In a possible implementation mode, the symbols occupied by the firstPDCCH are non-overlapped with the symbols occupied by the first SSblock.

In a possible implementation mode, the first SS block occupies an(N−M+1)th symbol to an Nth symbol of the first slot or the firstmini-slot, and the first PDCCH occupies the first symbol to a Pth symbolof the first slot or the first mini-slot. P is a positive integer, andP≤(N−M).

In a possible implementation mode, the method further includes thefollowing operation. The terminal device receives, in a second slot or asecond mini-slot, a second PDCCH sent by the network device. The secondslot or the second mini-slot includes no SS block. The position of thesecond PDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot is the same asthe position of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the firstmini-slot.

For the downlink time domain scheduling unit of this structure, theposition of the PDCCH in the time domain scheduling unit including theSS block is the same as the position of the PDCCH in the time domainscheduling unit including no SS block, which keeps the simple structureof the PDCCH. Therefore, extra signaling for configuring the position ofthe PDCCH may be avoided, signaling overhead is reduced, and thecomplexity of the terminal device and the network device is simplified.

In a possible implementation mode, the method further includes thefollowing operation. The terminal device receives, in a second slot or asecond mini-slot, a second PDCCH sent by the network device. The secondslot or the second mini-slot includes no SS block. The position of thesecond PDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot is differentfrom the position of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the firstmini-slot.

In a possible implementation mode, the method further includes thefollowing operation. The terminal device receives first indicationinformation and second indication information. The first indicationinformation is configured for indicating the position of the first PDCCHin the first slot or the first mini-slot, and the second indicationinformation is configured for indicating the position of the secondPDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot. The terminal devicedetermines the position of the first PDCCH in the first slot or thefirst mini-slot and the position of the second PDCCH in the second slotor the second mini-slot according to the first indication informationand the second indication information.

In a possible implementation mode, at least one of the first indicationinformation or the second indication information is carried in a PBCH ora system message.

In a possible implementation mode, the first PDCCH is configured forscheduling at least one of the following physical downlink datachannels: a physical downlink data channel in the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, a physical downlink data channel in at least one slotor mini-slot after the first slot or the first mini-slot, or a physicaldownlink data channel in at least one slot or mini-slot prior to thefirst slot or the first mini-slot.

The PDCCH may not only schedule the physical downlink data channel inthe present time domain scheduling unit, but also schedule the physicaldownlink data channel in a time domain scheduling unit prior to or afterthe present time domain scheduling unit, such that the flexibility ofresource scheduling is further improved, thereby providing a betteradaption to the change of beam user capacity and service load.

In a possible implementation mode, downlink control information carriedon the first PDCCH is configured for indicating that the physicaldownlink data channel scheduled by the first PDCCH is in at least oneslot or mini-slot prior to the first slot or the first mini-slot. Themethod further includes the following operations. The terminal devicereceives third indication information. The third indication informationis configured for indicating positions of physical downlink datachannels, capable of being scheduled by the first PDCCH, in the at leastone slot or mini-slot. The terminal device caches, according to theindication information, data carried on the physical downlink datachannels, capable of being scheduled by the first PDCCH, in the at leastone slot or mini-slot. The terminal device acquires, according to thefirst PDCCH, data corresponding to the first PDCCH from the data cachedby the terminal device and carried on the physical downlink datachannel, capable of being scheduled by the first PDCCH, in the at leastone slot or mini-slot.

In a possible implementation mode, the third indication information iscarried in Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

In a possible implementation mode, the method further includes thefollowing operation. The terminal device receives, in a third slot or athird mini-slot, a second SS block and a third PDCCH sent by the networkdevice. The second SS block includes an SS and a PDCCH. The first SSblock is different from the second SS block.

In a possible implementation mode, the first slot or the first mini-slotand the third slot or the third mini-slot are consecutively scheduled bythe network device.

The time domain scheduling unit including the SS block is continuouslytransmitted, thereby shortening the time that the terminal searches theSS and reads the PBCH, and saving the power consumption of the terminal.

A second aspect provides a method for information transmission. Themethod may include the following operation. The network device sends afirst SS block and a first PDCCH to the terminal device in a first slotor a first mini-slot. The first slot or the first mini-slot includes Nsymbols. The first SS block occupies M consecutive symbols in the firstslot or the first mini-slot. The first SS block includes an SS and aPBCH. M and N are positive integers, and M≤N.

In a possible implementation mode, the symbols occupied by the firstPDCCH are at least partially overlapped with the symbols occupied by thefirst SS block. The frequency domain resources occupied by the firstPDCCH are non-overlapped with the frequency domain resources occupied bythe first SS block.

In a possible implementation mode, the first SS block occupies a firstsymbol to an Mth symbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot.

In a possible implementation mode, the first PDCCH occupies the firstsymbol to a Pth symbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot, and thefirst PDCCH is located on at least one side of a bandwidth of the firstSS block in the frequency domain. P is a positive integer, and P≤M.

In a possible implementation mode, the symbols occupied by the firstPDCCH are non-overlapped with the symbols occupied by the first SSblock.

In a possible implementation mode, the first SS block occupies an(N−M+1)th symbol to an Nth symbol of the first slot or the firstmini-slot, and the first PDCCH occupies a first symbol to a Pth symbolof the first slot or mini-slot. P is a positive integer, and P≤(N−M).

In a possible implementation mode, the method further includes thefollowing operation. The network device sends a second PDCCH to theterminal device in a second slot or a second mini-slot. The second slotor the second mini-slot includes no SS block. The position of the secondPDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot is the same as theposition of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot.

In a possible implementation mode, the method further includes thefollowing operation. The network device sends a second PDCCH to theterminal device in a second slot or a second mini-slot. The second slotor the second mini-slot includes no SS block. The position of the secondPDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot is different from theposition of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot.

In a possible implementation mode, the method further includes thefollowing operation. The network device sends first indicationinformation and second indication information to the terminal device.The first indication information is configured for indicating theposition of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot,and the second indication information is configured for indicating theposition of the second PDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot.

In a possible implementation mode, at least one of the first indicationinformation or the second indication information is carried in a PBCH ora system message.

In a possible implementation mode, the first PDCCH is configured forscheduling at least one of the following physical downlink datachannels: a physical downlink data channel in the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, a physical downlink data channel in at least one slotor the first mini-slot after the first slot or mini-slot, or a physicaldownlink data channel in at least one slot or mini-slot prior to thefirst slot or the first mini-slot.

In a possible implementation mode, downlink control information carriedon the first PDCCH is configured for indicating that the physicaldownlink data channel scheduled by the first PDCCH is in at least oneslot or mini-slot prior to the first slot or the first mini-slot. Themethod further includes the following operation. The network devicesends third indication information to the terminal device. The thirdindication information is configured for indicating positions ofphysical downlink data channels, capable of being scheduled by the firstPDCCH, in the at least one slot or mini-slot.

In a possible implementation mode, the third indication information iscarried in RRC signaling.

In a possible implementation mode, the method further includes thefollowing operation. The network device sends a second SS block and athird PDCCH to the terminal device in a third slot or a third mini-slot.The second SS block includes an SS and a PDCCH. The first SS block isdifferent from the second SS block.

In a possible implementation mode, the first slot or the first mini-slotand the third slot or the third mini-slot are consecutively scheduled bythe network device.

A third aspect provides a terminal device, which is configured toexecute the method in the first aspect or any possible implementationmode of the first aspect. Specifically, the terminal device includesunits configured to execute the method in the first aspect or anypossible implementation mode of the first aspect.

A fourth aspect provides a network device, which is configured toexecute the method in the second aspect or any possible implementationmode of the second aspect. Specifically, the network device includesunits configured to execute the method in the second aspect or anypossible implementation mode of the second aspect.

A fifth aspect provides a terminal device, which includes a memory, aprocessor, an input interface and an output interface. The memory, theprocessor, the input interface and the output interface are connectedthrough a bus system. The memory is configured to store an instruction.The processor is configured to execute the instruction stored in thememory to execute the method in the first aspect or any possibleimplementation mode of the first aspect.

A sixth aspect provides a network device, which includes a memory, aprocessor, an input interface and an output interface. The memory, theprocessor, the input interface and the output interface are connectedthrough a bus system. The memory is configured to store an instruction.The processor is configured to execute the instruction stored in thememory to execute the method in the second aspect or any possibleimplementation mode of the second aspect.

A seventh aspect provides a computer storage medium, which is configuredto store a computer software instruction to execute the method in thefirst aspect or any possible implementation mode of the first aspect, orthe method in the second aspect or any possible implementation mode ofthe second aspect, and includes a program configured to execute theabove aspects.

These aspects or other aspects of the disclosure will become apparentthrough the following descriptions of the embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an application scenarioaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a method for informationtransmission according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a structure diagram of a downlink time domainscheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates another structure diagram of the downlink time domainscheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another structure diagram of the downlink timedomain scheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates yet another structure diagram of the downlink timedomain scheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates yet another structure diagram of the downlink timedomain scheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates yet another structure diagram of the downlink timedomain scheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates yet another structure diagram of the downlink timedomain scheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 10 illustrates yet another structure diagram of the downlink timedomain scheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 11 illustrates yet another structure diagram of the downlink timedomain scheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 12 illustrates yet another structure diagram of the downlink timedomain scheduling unit according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 13 illustrates another schematic block diagram of the method forinformation transmission according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 14 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a terminal device forinformation transmission according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 15 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a network device forinformation transmission according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 16 illustrates another schematic block diagram of the terminaldevice for information transmission according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 17 illustrates another schematic block diagram of the networkdevice for information transmission according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the disclosure will beclearly and completely described below in combination with the drawingsin this embodiment of the disclosure.

It is to be understood that the technical solutions of the embodimentsof the disclosure may be applied to various communication systems, forexample, a Global System of Mobile communication (GSM), a Code DivisionMultiple Access (CDMA) system, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access(WCDMA) system, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), a Long TermEvolution (LTE) system, an LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system,an LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD), a Universal Mobile TelecommunicationSystem (UMTS), a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)communication system or a future 5G system.

Particularly, the technical solutions of the embodiments of thedisclosure may be applied to various nonorthogonal multiple accesstechnology-based communication systems, for example, a Sparse CodeMultiple Access (SCMA) system and a Low Density Signature (LDS) system.The SCMA system and the LDS system may also have other names in thefield of communication. Furthermore, the technical solutions of theembodiments of the disclosure may be applied to multi-carriertransmission systems adopting nonorthogonal multiple accesstechnologies, for example, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing(OFDM), Filter Bank Multi-Carrier (FBMC), Generalized Frequency DivisionMultiplexing (GFDM) and Filtered-OFDM (F-OFDM) systems adopting thenonorthogonal multiple access technologies.

In the embodiments of the disclosure, a terminal device may representUser Equipment (UE), an access terminal, a user unit, a user station, amobile station, a mobile radio station, a remote station, a remoteterminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a terminal, a wirelesscommunication device, a user agent or a user device. The access terminalmay be a cell phone, a cordless phone, a Session Initiation Protocol(SIP) phone, a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, a Personal DigitalAssistant (PDA), a handheld device with a wireless communicationfunction, a computing device or another processing device connected to awireless modem, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a terminaldevice in a future 5G network, a terminal device in a future evolvedPublic Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or the like. There are no limits madein this embodiment of the disclosure.

In the embodiments of the disclosure, a network device may be a deviceconfigured to communicate with the terminal device. The network devicemay be a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) in the GSM or the CDMA, may alsobe a NodeB (NB) in the WCDMA system, may also be an Evolutional Node B(eNB or eNodeB) in the LTE system and may further be a wirelesscontroller in a Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN) scenario.Alternatively, the network device may be a relay station, an accesspoint, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a network device inthe future 5G network, a network device in the future evolved PLMN orthe like. There are no limits made in this embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario according to anembodiment of the disclosure. A communication system in FIG. 1 mayinclude a terminal device 10 and a network device 20. The network device20 is configured to provide a communication service for the terminaldevice 10 for access to a core network. The terminal device 10 searchesa synchronous signal, broadcast signal and the like sent by the networkdevice 20 to access the network, thereby communicating with the network.Arrows illustrated in FIG. 1 may represent uplink/downlink transmissionimplemented through a cellular link between the terminal device 10 andthe network device 20.

In the LTE system, a time domain position of a PDCCH is completely fixedand located on the first several symbols (max. 3) of each sub-frame of 1ms. An SS of the LTE FDD is at the tail of the previous slot of asub-frame, and a PBCH is at the head of the next slot of the sub-frame.A Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) and a Secondary SynchronizationSignal (SSS) of the LTE TDD are in different slots and differentsub-frames, which are respectively at the tail of one slot and at thethird symbol of one slot. The PBCH is also at the head of one slot.

In the 5G system, it is necessary to support data transmission performedon a high-frequency band (of which the center frequency is more than 6GHz, typically for example, 28 GHz), so as to meet the requirement for atransmission rate in 5G. When the data transmission is performed on thehigh-frequency band, a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technologyis adopted to achieve a higher transmission rate. Adopting the MIMOtechnology at a high frequency has a high requirement on a RadioFrequency (RF) device of an antenna, and the hardware cost (for example,an Analog/Digital (A/D) converter and a Digital/Analog (D/A) converter)of the antenna is greatly increased. For reducing the cost, a hybridbeamforming manner is usually adopted on the high-frequency band toreduce the number of RF transceiving units. An antenna array including alarge number of antennas is adopted, so a narrower beam with betterdirectionality may be generated, and signals are only sent on some beamsin each time unit, which may concentrate energy and expand coverage.

For facilitating understanding, a basic communication process betweenthe terminal device and the network device is briefly described.Specifically, after being powered on, the terminal device receives thePSS and the SSS at several center frequency points of a possible cell toachieve frame synchronization, and then may read the PBCH. The systeminformation such as a system bandwidth, Physical Hybrid ARQ IndicatorChannel (PHICH) resources, the number of antennas or a system framenumber may be acquired from the PBCH. The terminal device may also carrysome other information into the system information, camp on and usevarious services provided by the network device. When the network devicehas downlink data to be sent to a certain terminal device, the networkdevice first sends a downlink control channel to the terminal device, soas to mainly inform the terminal device of the position of the PhysicalDownlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) allocated for the downlink data in aresource grid, and then sends the PDSCH to the terminal device at theposition assigned for the terminal device.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a method 100 forinformation transmission according to an embodiment of the disclosure.As illustrated in FIG. 2, the method 100 includes the followingoperation.

At S110, a terminal device receives a first SS block and a first PDCCHfrom a network device in a first slot or a first mini-slot. The firstslot or the first mini-slot includes N symbols, the first SS blockoccupies M consecutive symbols in the first slot or the first mini-slot,and the first SS block includes an SS and a PBCH. M and N are positiveintegers, and M≤N.

First, the first slot or the first mini-slot is a time domain schedulingunit, and may be a sub-frame or other units of length in the disclosure.One time domain scheduling unit may include multiple symbols in the timedomain, and include multiple sub-carriers or the whole system bandwidthin the frequency domain. Second, in an NR system, the SS and the PBCH ofeach beam are transmitted in one SS block, and the SS blocks of multiplebeams are combined into an SS burst. In other words, different SS blocksadopt different beams.

Specifically, a part of resources may be allocated in the time domainscheduling unit including the SS block to transmit the PDCCH. Asdescribed above, in the LTE system, the PDCCH is located in the firstseveral symbols of a sub-frame, while the SS and the PBCH are located indifferent slots and on 72 sub-carriers at the center of the systembandwidth in the frequency domain. In the NR system, the time domainscheduling unit is not a sub-frame, but may be a slot or a mini-slot,and the system bandwidth will get larger. If configuration of the timedomain scheduling unit in the LTE system is still adopted, otherfrequency domain positions in the time domain scheduling unit includingthe SS are wasted. If a part of resources are allocated in the timedomain scheduling unit transmitting the SS block to transmit thedownlink control channel, the resource utilization may be improved, thetransmission time for each beam may be shortened, a transmission latencymay be reduced, and more beams may be accommodated while the coveragerequirement of the NR high-frequency band is met, thereby improvingcapacity and coverage of a communication system.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the method 100 may furtherinclude the following operation.

At S120, the terminal device determines the network device or implementssynchronization with the network device according to the first SS block,and the terminal device may also schedule a physical downlink datachannel corresponding to the first PDCCH according to the first PDCCH.

In at least one embodiment, when there are other resources not allocatedin the first slot or the first mini-slot, the other resources may beconfigured to transmit the physical downlink data channel. In such amanner, transmission resources of the data channels under the beam maybe expanded, that is, if a data volume is small, it is not necessary toallocate a new slot or mini-slot for the terminal device under the beam.Meanwhile, transmission time of a beam may be shortened, and more beamsmay be accommodated in unit time, thereby improving capacity andcoverage of a communication system.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the symbols occupied bythe first PDCCH are at least partially overlapped with the symbolsoccupied by the first SS block, and the frequency domain resourcesoccupied by the first PDCCH are non-overlapped with frequency domainresources occupied by the first SS block.

Furthermore, the first SS block occupies the first symbol to the Mthsymbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot. The first PDCCHoccupies the first symbol to the Pth symbol of the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, and the first PDCCH is located on at least one side ofthe bandwidth of the first SS block in the frequency domain. P is apositive integer, and P≤M.

In at least one embodiment, the first SS block and the first PDCCH mayoverlap partially or completely in the time domain. For example, thefirst SS block occupies the first M symbols, the first PDCCH is on theside of the bandwidth of the first SS block and also occupies the firstM symbols of the first slot or the first mini-slot, and may also occupythe first P symbols, P≥M.

The first SS block is configured on the first several symbols of thefirst slot or the first mini-slot to be transmitted, which enables theterminal to read immediately the downlink control channel and systeminformation of the present slot after completing cell search. Therefore,the access time of the terminal to a network may be shortened, and powerconsumption of the terminal during accessing the network is saved.

In at least one embodiment, the first PDCCH may be configured on themiddle several consecutive symbols or the last several consecutivesymbols of the first slot or the second mini-slot. The first PDCCH ismerely required to be overlapped or partially overlapped with the firstSS block in the time domain and to be non-overlapped with the first SSblock in the frequency domain.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the symbols occupied bythe first PDCCH are non-overlapped with the symbols occupied by thefirst SS block.

Furthermore, the first SS block occupies the (N−M+1)th symbol to the Nthsymbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot, and the first PDCCHoccupies the first symbol to the Pth symbol of the first slot or thefirst mini-slot. P is a positive integer, and P≤(N−M).

In at least one embodiment, the first SS block and the first PDCCH mayor may not overlap in the frequency domain. In the embodiment of thedisclosure, it is only required that the first SS block and the firstPDCCH do not overlap in the time domain. Specifically, the first SSblock may be configured at the center of the system bandwidth of thefirst slot or the first mini-slot, and occupies the last several symbolsof the first slot or the first mini-slot. Similarly, the first PDCCH maybe configured at the center of the system bandwidth of the first slot ormini-slot, and occupies the first several symbols of the first slot orthe first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the method furtherincludes the following operation. The terminal device receives, in asecond slot or a second mini-slot, a second PDCCH sent by the networkdevice, The second slot or the second mini-slot does not include an SSblock, and the position of the second PDCCH in the second slot or thesecond mini-slot is the same as the position of the first PDCCH in thefirst slot or the first mini-slot.

For the terminal device, one terminal may correspond to one beam. Whenthe amount of downlink data to be sent by the network device to theterminal device is large, transmission of the physical downlink datachannel may be performed either in the slot or the mini-slot includingan SS block, or in the slot or the mini-slot including no SS block. Itshould be understood that the slot or the mini-slot including no SSblock, namely the second slot or the second mini-slot, may also includeno PDCCH, and all the resources are used for transmission of thephysical downlink data channel. The positions of the PDCCHs in the firstslot or the first mini-slot and the second slot or the second mini-slotare configured the same, such that the simple structure of the controlchannel is kept, which can avoid extra signaling for configuring theposition of the control channel, reduce the signaling overhead, andsimplify the complexity of the terminal device and the network device.

Specifically, the first PDCCH and the second PDCCH may be respectivelyconfigured on the first several symbols of the first slot or the firstmini-slot and on the second slot or the second mini-slot, for example,the first 3 symbols.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the method furtherincludes the following operation. The terminal device receives, in thesecond slot or the second mini-slot, the second PDCCH sent by thenetwork device. The second slot or the second mini-slot does not includean SS block, and the position of the second PDCCH in the second slot orthe second mini-slot is different from the position of the first PDCCHin the first slot or the first mini-slot.

It should be understood that the network device usually sends, throughthe PBCH or the system message, resource information for indicating acommon search space of the downlink control channel to the terminaldevice.

When the position of the PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slotis different from the position of the PDCCH in the second slot or thesecond mini-slot, the network device sends first indication informationand second indication information to the terminal device. The firstindication information is used to indicate the position of the firstPDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot, and the secondindication information is used for indicating the position of the secondPDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot. The terminal devicerespectively determines the position of the first PDCCH in the firstslot or the first mini-slot and the position of the second PDCCH in thesecond slot or the second mini-slot according to the first indicationinformation and the second indication information.

The first indication information and the second indication informationmay be carried in a message, and may also be sent separately.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first PDCCH is usedfor scheduling at least one of the following physical downlink datachannels: a physical downlink data channel in the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, a physical downlink data channel in at least one slotor mini-slot after the first slot or the first mini-slot, or a physicaldownlink data channel in at least one slot or mini-slot prior to thefirst slot or the first mini-slot.

That is, the PDCCH in a slot or a mini-slot may schedule either aphysical downlink data channel in the present slot or mini-slot or aphysical downlink data channel in other slots or mini-slots. Thephysical downlink data channel in other slots or mini-slots may beeither the physical downlink data channel in one or more slots ormini-slots prior to the present slot or mini-slot, or the physicaldownlink data channel in one or more slots or mini-slots after thepresent slot or mini-slot.

Specifically, when the first PDCCH schedules the physical downlink datachannel in the slot or the mini-slot prior to the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, the data may be acquired in the following manner.

The terminal device receives the third indication information, and thethird indication information is used for indicating positions ofphysical downlink data channels that can be scheduled by the first PDCCHin the at least one slot or mini-slot. The terminal device caches,according to the indication information, data carried on the physicaldownlink data channels that can be scheduled by the first PDCCH in theat least one slot or mini-slot. The terminal device acquires, accordingto the first PDCCH, the data corresponding to the first PDCCH from thedata cached by the terminal device and carried on the physical downlinkdata channels that can be scheduled by the first PDCCH in the at leastone slot or mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment, the third indication information may becarried in RRC signaling. That is, the positions of the physicaldownlink data channels that can scheduled by the first PDCCH in the atleast one slot or mini-slot may be configured statically. The networkdevice may not be required to send the third indication information, butdirectly adopts a predetermined manner. For example, when it ispredetermined that the physical downlink data channel in the previousslot or mini-slot that can be scheduled by the PDCCH in the first slotor the first mini-slot includes the last two symbols of the slot ormini-slot, the terminal device may first cache the data on the twosymbols. When receiving the first physical downlink data channel, theterminal device may know that the physical downlink data channelscheduled by the first PDCCH is located in the slot or mini-slot priorto the first slot or the first mini-slot, and may acquire the datacorresponding to the first PDCCH from the cached data.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the method furtherincludes the following operation. The terminal device receives, in athird slot or a third mini-slot, a second SS block and a third PDCCHsent by the network device. The second SS block includes an SS and aPDCCH. The first SS block is different from the second SS block.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first slot or thefirst mini-slot and the third slot or the third mini-slot areconsecutively scheduled by the network device.

Specifically, the terminal device may preferentially receive severalslots or mini-slots including the SS blocks consecutively, and thenconsecutively receive the slots or mini-slots corresponding to the SSblocks and including no SS block. Different SS blocks correspond todifferent beams. In other words, transmission of all the slots ormini-slots including the SS blocks is performed continuously. Theterminal device may consecutively receive the SS blocks, thereby savingthe power consumption of the terminal.

In at least one embodiment, the slots or mini-slots including the SSblocks and the slots or mini-slots including no SS block whichcorrespond to the same beam are transmitted continuously. All the slotsor mini-slots including the SS blocks may not be transmittedcontinuously.

Three specific structures of the time domain scheduling unit in theembodiments of the disclosure are described below in detail incombination with FIG. 3 to FIG. 12.

In the first structure, the SS block occupies all the symbols of thetime domain scheduling unit.

In embodiment 1, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the SS block is transmittedin a mini-slot with the same length as the SS block, the PDCCH and thePDSCH are transmitted on the symbols where the SS block is, and occupythe frequency domain resources on two sides of the bandwidth of the SSblock. The PDCCH may be either on one side of the SS block, or on twosides. In this embodiment, the mini-slots including the SS blocks ofrespective beams are transmitted continuously at first, and then themini-slots or slots including no SS block of respective beams aretransmitted. The same beam may have both the time domain scheduling unitincluding the SS block and the time domain scheduling unit including noSS block.

Embodiment 1 is illustrated by taking that the SS block occupies thecenter of the system bandwidth, and the PDCCH in the time domainscheduling unit including no SS block occupies the first several symbolsof the time domain scheduling unit in FIG. 3 as an example. The PDCCH ineach time domain scheduling unit may also occupy the middle severalconsecutive symbols or the last several consecutive symbols of the timedomain scheduling unit. The time domain scheduling unit including no SSblock may be only used for the data transmission, and is scheduled bythe PDCCH in the time domain scheduling unit including an SS block ofthe same beam.

Embodiment 1 has the following advantages. The terminal can readimmediately the downlink control channel and system information in thepresent slot after the terminal completes the cell search, and the SSblocks are transmitted continuously, such that the time of searching theSS and reading the PBCH by the terminal can be shortened, the powerconsumption of the terminal is saved, and time-frequency resourcesincluding no SS block can be flexibly allocated.

In embodiment 2, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the SS block is transmittedin a mini-slot with the same length as the SS block, the PDCCH and thePDSCH are transmitted on the symbols where the SS block is, and occupythe frequency domain resources on two sides of the bandwidth of the SSblock. The PDCCH may be either on one side of the SS block, or on twosides. The difference between embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 is that themini-slots including the SS blocks of respective beams are transmitteddiscontinuously, and the mini-slot including the SS block and themini-slot including no SS block of a certain beam are transmittedcontinuously.

Embodiment 2 is illustrated by taking that the SS block occupies thecenter of the system bandwidth, and the PDCCH in the time domainscheduling unit including no SS block occupies the first several symbolsof the time domain scheduling unit in FIG. 4 as an example. The PDCCH ineach time domain scheduling unit may also occupy the middle severalconsecutive symbols or the last several consecutive symbols of the timedomain scheduling unit. The time domain scheduling unit including no SSblock may be only used for the data transmission, and is scheduled bythe PDCCH in the time domain scheduling unit including the SS block ofthe same beam.

Embodiment 2 has the following advantages. The terminal readsimmediately the downlink control channel and system information in thepresent slot after completing the cell search, the access speed of theterminal to a network is high, and the number of times of switchingbetween the beams is small. Therefore, the operation complexity of theterminal device and the network device may be reduced.

In the second structure, the SS block occupies the head of the timedomain scheduling unit.

In embodiment 3, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the SS block is transmittedat the head of a slot or mini-slot with a length longer than the SSblock, and the PDCCH is transmitted on the symbols where the SS block isand occupies the frequency domain resources on two sides of thebandwidth of the SS block. The PDCCH may be either on one side of the SSblock, or on two sides. In the present embodiment, the slots ormini-slots including the SS blocks of respective beams are transmittedcontinuously at first, and then the slots or mini-slots including no SSblock of respective beams are transmitted. The same beam may have boththe time domain scheduling unit including the SS block and the timedomain scheduling unit including no SS block.

Embodiment 3 is illustrated by taking that the SS block occupies thecenter of the system bandwidth, and the PDCCH in the time domainscheduling unit including no SS block occupies the first several symbolsof the time domain scheduling unit in FIG. 5 as an example. The PDCCH ineach time domain scheduling unit may also occupy the middle severalconsecutive symbols or the last several consecutive symbols of the timedomain scheduling unit. It is only required that an SS block and a PDCCHin the time domain scheduling unit including the SS block overlap witheach other in the time domain. The time domain scheduling unit includingno SS block may be only used for the data transmission, and is scheduledby the PDCCH in the time domain scheduling unit including an SS block ofthe same beam.

Embodiment 3 has the following advantages. The terminal is enabled toread immediately the downlink control channel and system information inthe present slot after completing the cell search, such that the accesstime of the terminal to a network is shortened, and the powerconsumption of the terminal during accessing the network is saved.Further, the slot or mini-slot including the SS block has more resourcesfor data transmission, such that the relatively flexible resourceallocation can be realized without adopting the slot or mini-slotincluding no SS block in many cases.

In embodiment 4, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the SS block is transmittedat the head of a slot or mini-slot with a length longer than the SSblock, and the PDCCH is transmitted on the symbols where the SS block isand occupies the frequency domain resources on two sides of thebandwidth of the SS block. The PDCCH may be either on one side of the SSblock, or on two sides. The difference between embodiment 4 andembodiment 3 is that the slots or mini-slots including the SS blocks ofrespective beams are transmitted continuously, and the slots ormini-slots including the SS block and the slots or mini-slots includingno SS block of a certain beam are transmitted discontinuously.

Embodiment 4 is illustrated by taking that the SS block occupies thecenter of the system bandwidth, and the PDCCH in the time domainscheduling unit including no SS block occupies the first several symbolsof the time domain scheduling unit in FIG. 6 as an example. The PDCCH ineach time domain scheduling unit may also occupy the middle severalconsecutive symbols or the last several consecutive symbols of the timedomain scheduling unit. It is only required that an SS block and a PDCCHin the time domain scheduling unit including the SS block overlap witheach other in the time domain. The time domain scheduling unit includingno SS block may be only used for the data transmission, and is scheduledby the PDCCH in the time domain scheduling unit including the SS blockof the same beam.

Embodiment 4 has the following advantages. The terminal readsimmediately the downlink control channel and system information in thepresent slot after completing the cell search, the access speed of theterminal to a network is high, the slot or mini-slot including the SSblock has more resources for data transmission, and the relativelyflexible resource allocation may be realized without adopting the slotor mini-slot including no SS block in many cases, and the number oftimes of switching between the beams is small, such that the operationcomplexity of the terminal device and the network device may be reduced.

In embodiment 5, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the SS block is transmittedat the head of a slot or mini-slot with a length longer than the SSblock, the PDCCH is transmitted on the symbols where the SS block is andoccupies the frequency domain resources on two sides of the bandwidth ofthe SS block. The PDCCH may be either on one side of the SS block, or ontwo sides. The PDCCH in the slot or mini-slot including no SS blockoccupies the first several symbols of the time domain scheduling unit.The PDCCH in a slot or mini-slot including the SS block and the PDCCH ina slot or mini-slot including no SS block may schedule the PDSCH in thepresent slot or mini-slot, may also schedule the PDSCH after the presentslot or mini-slot, and may also schedule the PDSCH prior to the presentslot or mini-slot. The slots or mini-slots including SS blocks ofrespective beams are transmitted continuously, and the slot or mini-slotincluding the SS block and the slot or mini-slot including no SS blockof a certain beam are transmitted discontinuously.

The PDCCH may schedule the PDSCH in other time domain scheduling unitsprior to the present time domain scheduling unit. The other time domainscheduling units each may or may not include an SS block. The above maybe implemented in the following manner.

The network device sends first indication information to inform theterminal device of the possible case that the scheduled PDSCH is in thetime domain scheduling unit prior to the PDCCH. The first indicationinformation is transmitted by using a semi-static message, for example,RRC signaling. The first indication information is used for indicatingposition information of the scheduled PDSCH in the time domainscheduling unit prior to the PDCCH. The network device sends secondindication information through the PDCCH to indicate that the scheduledPDSCH is within the time domain scheduling unit prior to the PDCCH.

It should be understood that the network device may also not send thefirst indication information to the terminal device, but directly adoptsa protocol-specified manner. That is, when the network device schedulesa time domain scheduling unit prior to the PDCCH, the terminal devicedirectly caches data carried on a PDSCH in the time domain schedulingunit and specified by the protocol. when receiving the PDCCH sent by thenetwork device, the terminal device may acquire the data correspondingto the PDCCH from the cached data.

The embodiment 5 further improves the flexibility of resourcescheduling. The PDCCH may schedule the resources of the present slot ormini-slot and the resources of the slot or mini-slot after the presentslot or mini-slot, and may also schedule a part of resources of the slotor mini-slot prior to the present slot or mini-slot. In such a manner,the PDSCH transmission resource of the beam may be expanded without theneed of allocating a new slot or mini-slot for the beam.

In embodiment 6, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the SS block is transmittedat the head of a slot or mini-slot with a length longer than the SSblock, the PDCCH is transmitted on the symbols where the SS block is,and occupies the frequency domain resources on two sides of thebandwidth of the SS block. The PDCCH may be either on one side of the SSblock, or on two sides. The PDCCH in the slot or mini-slot including noSS block occupies the first several symbols of the time domainscheduling unit. The PDCCH in a slot or mini-slot including the SS blockand the PDCCH in a slot or mini-slot including no SS block may schedulethe PDSCH in the present slot or mini-slot, may also schedule the PDSCHafter the present slot or mini-slot, and may also schedule the PDSCHprior to the present slot or mini-slot. The slots or mini-slotsincluding SS blocks of respective beams are transmitted discontinuously,and the slot or mini-slot including the SS block and the slot ormini-slot including no SS block of a certain beam are transmittedcontinuously.

Similarly, the embodiment 6 further improves the flexibility of resourcescheduling. The PDCCH may schedule the resources of the present slot ormini-slot and the resources of the slot or mini-slot after the presentslot or mini-slot, and may also schedule a part of resources of the slotor mini-slot prior to the present slot or mini-slot. In such a manner,the PDSCH transmission resource of the beam may be expanded without theneed of allocating a new slot or mini-slot for the beam.

In the third structure, the SS block is at the tail of the time domainscheduling unit.

In embodiment 7, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the SS block is transmittedat the tail of a slot or mini-slot with a length longer than the SSblock, the PDCCH is transmitted at the head of the slot or mini-slot,and the SS block and the PDCCH occupy different symbols. In the presentembodiment, the slots or mini-slots including SS blocks of respectivebeams are transmitted continuously at first, and then the slots ormini-slots including no SS block of respective beams are transmitted.

It should be understood that the position of the PDCCH in the timedomain scheduling unit including the SS block and the position of thePDCCH in the time domain scheduling unit including no SS block may bethe same or different, and the present embodiment is described by takingthat they are the same as an example. Some extensions of the aboveembodiments are also applied to the present embodiment, which will notbe elaborated herein for simplicity.

Embodiment 7 has the following advantages. The PDCCH and the SS blockare transmitted on different symbols, so the frequency domain resourcesof the PDCCH are not influenced by the SS, and the PDCCHs in the slot ormini-slot including the SS block and the slot or mini-slot including noSS block may adopt the same structure, thereby reducing the complexityof the network device and the terminal device, and saving the signalingoverhead.

In embodiment 8, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the SS block is transmittedat the tail of a slot or mini-slot with a length longer than the SSblock, the PDCCH is transmitted at the head of the slot or mini-slot,and the SS block and the PDCCH occupy different symbols. The differencebetween embodiment 8 and embodiment 7 is that the slots or mini-slotsincluding SS blocks of respective beams are transmitted discontinuously,and the slot or mini-slot including the SS block and the slot ormini-slot including no SS block of a certain beam are transmittedcontinuously.

Embodiment 8 has the following advantages. The number of times ofswitching between the beams is small, and the PDCCHs in the slot ormini-slot including the SS block and the slot or mini-slot including noSS block may adopt the same structure, thereby reducing the complexityof the network device and the terminal device, and saving the signalingoverhead.

In embodiment 9, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the SS block is transmittedat the tail of a slot or mini-slot with a length longer than the SSblock, the PDCCH is transmitted at the head of the slot or mini-slot,and the SS block and the PDCCH occupy different symbols. In the presentembodiment, the slots or mini-slots including the SS blocks ofrespective beams are transmitted continuously at first, and then theslots or mini-slots including no SS block of respective beams aretransmitted. The PDCCH in the slot or mini-slot including no SS blockmay schedule the PDSCH in the present slot or mini-slot, may alsoschedule the PDSCH after the present slot or mini-slot, and may alsoschedule the PDSCH prior to the present slot or mini-slot.

Compared with the embodiment 7, the present embodiment further improvesthe flexibility of resource scheduling, and the PDCCH may not onlyschedule the resources of the present slot or mini-slot and theresources of the slot or mini-slot after the present slot or mini-slot,but also schedule a part of resources of the slot or mini-slot prior tothe present slot or mini-slot. In such a manner, the PDSCH transmissionresource of the beam may be expanded without allocating a new slot ormini-slot for the beam.

In embodiment 10, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the SS block is transmittedat the tail of a slot or mini-slot with a length longer than the SSblock, the PDCCH is transmitted at the head of the slot or mini-slot,and the SS block and the PDCCH occupy different symbols. The differencebetween embodiment 10 and embodiment 9 is that the slots or mini-slotsincluding SS blocks of respective beams are transmitted discontinuously,and the slot or mini-slot including the SS block and the slot ormini-slot including no SS block of a certain beam are transmittedcontinuously. The PDCCH in the slot or mini-slot including the SS blockmay schedule the PDSCH in the present slot or mini-slot, may alsoschedule the PDSCH after the present slot or mini-slot, and may alsoschedule the PDSCH prior to the present slot or mini-slot.

Compared with the embodiment 8, the present embodiment further improvesthe flexibility of resource scheduling, and the PDCCH may not onlyschedule the resources of the present slot or mini-slot and theresources of the slot or mini-slot after the present slot or mini-slot,but also schedule a part of resources of the slot or mini-slot prior tothe present slot or mini-slot. In such a manner, the PDSCH transmissionresource of the beam may be expanded without allocating a new slot ormini-slot for the beam.

FIG. 13 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a method 200 forinformation transmission according to an embodiment of the disclosure.As illustrated in FIG. 13, the method 200 includes the followingoperation.

At S210, a network device sends a first SS block and a first PDCCH to aterminal device in a first slot or a first mini-slot. The first slot orthe first mini-slot includes N symbols, the first SS block occupies Mconsecutive symbols in the first slot or the first mini-slot, and thefirst SS block includes an SS and a PBCH. M and N are positive integers,and M≤N.

In at least one embodiment, before the operation at S210, the networkdevice determines that the terminal device requires an establishment ofcommunication connection with the network device, and then the networkdevice sends the SS block to the terminal device. When the networkdevice determines that there is data to be sent to the terminal device,the network device first sends the PDCCH to the terminal device, toindicate the position of a physical downlink data channel to theterminal device. After the operation at S210, the network device sendsthe physical downlink data channel to the terminal device at thecorresponding position.

Therefore, the method for information transmission in this embodiment ofthe disclosure may improve the resource utilization while meeting thecoverage requirements of the NR high-frequency band, thereby improvingthe flexibility of a communication system.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the symbols occupied bythe first PDCCH and the symbols occupied by the first SS block at leastpartially overlap Frequency domain resources occupied by the first PDCCHand frequency domain resources occupied by the first SS block do notoverlap.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first SS blockoccupies the first symbol to the Mth symbol of the first slot or thefirst mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first PDCCH occupiesthe first symbol to the Pth symbol of the first slot or the firstmini-slot, and the first PDCCH is located on at least one side of thebandwidth of the first SS block in the frequency domain. P is a positiveinteger, and P≤M.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the symbols occupied bythe first PDCCH and the symbols occupied by the first SS block do notoverlap.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first SS blockoccupies the (N−M+1)th symbol to the Nth symbol of the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, and the first PDCCH occupies the first symbol to thePth symbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot. P is a positiveinteger, and P≤(N−M).

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the method furtherincludes the following operation. The network device sends the secondPDCCH to the terminal device in the second slot or the second mini-slot.The second slot or the second mini-slot includes no SS block. Theposition of the second PDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slotis the same as the position of the first PDCCH in the first slot or thefirst mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the method furtherincludes the following operation. The network device sends the secondPDCCH to the terminal device in the second slot or the second mini-slot.The second slot or the second mini-slot includes no SS block. Theposition of the second PDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slotis different from the position of the first PDCCH in the first slot orthe first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the method furtherincludes the following operation. The network device sends firstindication information and second indication information to the terminaldevice. The first indication information is used for indicating theposition of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot,and the second indication information is used for indicating theposition of the second PDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, at least one of the firstindication information or the second indication information is carriedin the PBCH or a system message.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first PDCCH is usedfor scheduling at least one of the following physical downlink datachannels: a physical downlink data channel in the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, a physical downlink data channel in at least one slotor mini-slot after the first slot or the first mini-slot, or a physicaldownlink data channel in at least one slot or mini-slot prior to thefirst slot or the first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the downlink controlinformation carried on the first PDCCH is used for indicating that thephysical downlink data channel scheduled by the first PDCCH is in atleast one slot or mini-slot prior to the first slot or the firstmini-slot. The method further includes the following operation. Thenetwork device sends third indication information to the terminaldevice. The third indication information is used for indicatingpositions of the physical downlink data channels that can be scheduledby the first PDCCH in the at least one slot or mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the third indicationinformation is carried in the RRC signaling.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the method furtherincludes the following operation. The network device sends the second SSblock and the third PDCCH to the terminal device in a third slot or athird mini-slot. The second SS block includes an SS and a PDCCH. Thefirst SS block is different from the second SS block.

In at least one embodiment, in this embodiment of the disclosure, thefirst slot or the first mini-slot and the third slot or the thirdmini-slot are consecutively scheduled by the network device.

It should be understood that interaction between the network device andthe terminal device and related properties, functions and the likedescribed from the network device correspond to related properties,functions and the like of the terminal device. In other words, anyinformation sent to the network device by the terminal device will bereceived by the network device correspondingly. The related contentshave been described, for simplicity, will not be elaborated herein.

It should be further understood that, in various embodiments of thedisclosure, a magnitude of a sequence number of each process does notmean an execution sequence and the execution sequence of each processshould be determined by its function and an internal logic and shouldnot form any limit to an implementation process of the embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 14 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a terminal device 300for information transmission according to an embodiment of thedisclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 14, the terminal device 300 includesa receiving unit 310.

The receiving unit 310 is configured to receive, in the first slot orthe first mini-slot, the first SS block and the first PDCCH sent by thenetwork device. The first slot or the first mini-slot includes Nsymbols. The first SS block occupies M consecutive symbols in the firstslot or the first mini-slot. The first SS block includes an SS and aPBCH. M and N are positive integers, and M≤N.

Therefore, the terminal device for information transmission in thisembodiment of the disclosure may achieve efficient multiplexing of SSs,PBCHs and PDCCHs while meeting the requirements of multi-beamtransmission for the NR high-frequency band, thereby reducing controlsignaling overheads and terminal complexity, and improving resourceutilization and flexibility of a communication system.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the symbols occupied bythe first PDCCH are at least partially overlapped with the symbolsoccupied by the first SS block. The frequency domain resources occupiedby the first PDCCH are non-overlapped with the frequency domainresources occupied by the first SS block.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first SS blockoccupies the first symbol to the Mth symbol of the first slot or thefirst mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first PDCCH occupiesthe first symbol to the Pth symbol of the first slot or the firstmini-slot, and the first PDCCH is on at least one side of the bandwidthof the first SS block in the frequency domain. P is a positive integer,and P≤M.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the symbols occupied bythe first PDCCH are non-overlapped with the symbols occupied by thefirst SS block.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first SS blockoccupies the (N−M+1)th symbol to the Nth symbol of the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, and the first PDCCH occupies the first symbol to thePth symbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot. P is a positiveinteger, and P≤(N−M).

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the receiving unit 310 mayfurther be configured to receive, in the second slot or the secondmini-slot, the second PDCCH sent by the network device. The second slotor the second mini-slot includes no SS block. The position of the secondPDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot is the same as theposition of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the receiving unit 310 mayfurther be configured to receive, in the second slot or the secondmini-slot, the second PDCCH sent by the network device. The second slotor the second mini-slot includes no SS block. The position of the secondPDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot is different from theposition of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the receiving unit 310 mayfurther be configured to receive the first indication information andthe second indication information. The first indication information isused for indicating the position of the first PDCCH in the first slot orthe first mini-slot, and the second indication information is used forindicating the position of the second PDCCH in the second slot or thesecond mini-slot. The terminal device 300 further includes a determiningunit 320. The determining unit 320 may be configured to determine theposition of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot andthe position of the second PDCCH in the second slot or the secondmini-slot according to the first indication information and the secondindication information.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, at least one of the firstindication information or the second indication information may becarried in the PBCH or the system message.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first PDCCH is usedfor scheduling at least one of the following physical downlink datachannels: a physical downlink data channel in the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, a physical downlink data channel in at least one slotor mini-slot after the first slot or the first mini-slot, or a physicaldownlink data channel in at least one slot or mini-slot prior to thefirst slot or the first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the downlink controlinformation carried on the first PDCCH is used for indicating that thephysical downlink data channel scheduled by the first PDCCH is in atleast one slot or mini-slot prior to the first slot or the firstmini-slot. The receiving unit 310 may further be configured to receivethe third indication information. The third indication information isused for indicating the positions of the physical downlink data channelsthat can be scheduled by the first PDCCH in the at least one slot ormini-slot. The terminal device 300 further includes a caching unit 330and an acquiring unit 340. The caching unit 330 may be configured tocache, according to the indication information, the data carried on thephysical downlink data channels that can be scheduled by the first PDCCHin the at least one slot or mini-slot. The acquiring unit 340 may beconfigured to acquire, according to the first PDCCH, the datacorresponding to the first PDCCH from the data cached by the terminaldevice and carried on the physical downlink data channels that can bescheduled by the first PDCCH in the at least one slot or mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the third indicationinformation is carried in the RRC signaling.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the receiving unit 310 mayfurther be configured to receive, in the third slot or the thirdmini-slot, the second SS block and the third PDCCH sent by the networkdevice. The second SS block includes an SS and a PDCCH. The first SSblock is different from the second SS block.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first slot or thefirst mini-slot and the third slot or the third mini-slot areconsecutively scheduled by the network device.

It is to be understood that the terminal device 300 for informationtransmission according to the embodiment of the disclosure maycorrespond to the terminal device in the method embodiments of thedisclosure and the above-mentioned and other operations and/or functionsof each unit in the terminal device 300 are adopted to implement thecorresponding processes executed by the terminal device in therespective methods in FIG. 2 to FIG. 12, which will not be elaboratedherein for simplicity.

FIG. 15 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a network device 400for information transmission according to an embodiment of thedisclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 15, the network device 400 mayinclude a receiving unit 410.

The receiving unit 410 is configured to send the first SS block and thefirst PDCCH to the terminal device in the first slot or the firstmini-slot. The first slot or the first mini-slot includes N symbols, thefirst SS block occupies M consecutive symbols in the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, and the first SS block includes an SS and a PBCH. M andN are positive integers, and M≤N.

Therefore, the network device for information transmission in thisembodiment of the disclosure may achieve efficient multiplexing of SSs,PBCHs and PDCCHs while meeting the requirements of multi-beamtransmission for the NR high-frequency band, thereby reducing controlsignaling overheads and terminal complexity, and improving resourceutilization and flexibility of a communication system.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the symbols occupied bythe first PDCCH and the symbols occupied by the first SS block at leastpartially overlap. The frequency domain resources occupied by the firstPDCCH and the frequency domain resources occupied by the first SS blockdo not overlap.

In a possible implementation mode, the first SS block occupies the firstsymbol to the Mth symbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first PDCCH occupiesthe first symbol to the Pth symbol of the first slot or the firstmini-slot, and the first PDCCH is on at least one side of the bandwidthof the first SS block in the frequency domain. P is a positive integer,and P≤M.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the symbols occupied bythe first PDCCH and the symbols occupied by the first SS block do notoverlap.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first SS blockoccupies the (N−M+1)th symbol to the Nth symbol of the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, and the first PDCCH occupies the first symbol to thePth symbol of the first slot or the first mini-slot. P is a positiveinteger, and P≤(N−M).

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the sending unit 410 mayfurther be configured to send the second PDCCH to the terminal device inthe second slot or the second mini-slot. The second slot or the secondmini-slot does not include an SS block. The position of the second PDCCHin the second slot or the second mini-slot is the same as the positionof the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the sending unit 410 mayfurther be configured to send the second PDCCH to the terminal device inthe second slot or the second mini-slot. The second slot or the secondmini-slot does not include an SS block. The position of the second PDCCHin the second slot or the second mini-slot is different from theposition of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the sending unit 410 mayfurther be configured to send the first indication information and thesecond indication information to the terminal device. The firstindication information is used for indicating the position of the firstPDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot, and the secondindication information is used for indicating the position of the secondPDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, at least one of the firstindication information or the second indication information may becarried in the PBCH or the system message.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first PDCCH is usedfor scheduling at least one of the following physical downlink datachannels: a physical downlink data channel in the first slot or thefirst mini-slot, a physical downlink data channel in at least one slotor mini-slot after the first slot or the first mini-slot, or a physicaldownlink data channel in at least one slot or mini-slot prior to thefirst slot or the first mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the downlink controlinformation carried on the first PDCCH is used for indicating that thephysical downlink data channel scheduled by the first PDCCH is in atleast one slot or mini-slot prior to the first slot or the firstmini-slot. The sending unit 410 may further be configured to send thethird indication information to the terminal device. The thirdindication information is used for indicating the positions of thephysical downlink data channels that can be scheduled by the first PDCCHin the at least one slot or mini-slot.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the third indicationinformation may be carried in the RRC signaling.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the sending unit 410 mayfurther be configured to send the second SS block and the third PDCCHsent to the terminal device in the third slot or the third mini-slot.The second SS block includes an SS and a PDCCH. The first SS block isdifferent from the second SS block.

In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, the first slot or thefirst mini-slot and the third slot or the third mini-slot may beconsecutively scheduled by the network device.

It should be understood that the network device 400 for informationtransmission according to the embodiment of the disclosure maycorrespond to the network device in the method embodiments of thedisclosure and the above-mentioned and other operations and/or functionsof each unit in the network device 400 are adopted to implement thecorresponding processes executed by the network device in the respectivemethods in FIG. 3 to FIG. 13, which will not be elaborated herein forsimplicity.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, an embodiment of the disclosure furtherprovides a terminal device 500 for information transmission. Theterminal device 500 may be the terminal device 300 in FIG. 14, and maybe configured to execute operations of the terminal device correspondingto the method 100 in FIG. 2. The terminal device 500 includes an inputinterface 510, an output interface 520, a processor 530 and a memory540. The input interface 510, the output interface 520, the processor530 and the memory 540 may be connected through a bus system. The memory540 is configured to store a program, an instruction or a code. Theprocessor 530 is configured to execute the program, instruction or codein the memory 540 to control the input interface 510 to receive asignal, control the output interface 520 to send a signal and completeoperations in the above method embodiments.

Therefore, the terminal device for information transmission in thisembodiment of the disclosure may achieve efficient multiplexing of SSs,PBCHs and PDCCHs while meeting the requirements of multi-beamtransmission for the NR high-frequency band, thereby reducing controlsignaling overheads and terminal complexity, and improving resourceutilization and flexibility of a communication system.

In this embodiment of the disclosure, the processor 530 may be a CentralProcessing Unit (CPU). The processor 530 may further be other universalprocessors, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application SpecificIntegrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) orother programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logicdevices, and discrete hardware component, etc. The universal processormay be a microprocessor or the processor may also be any conventionalprocessor, etc.

The memory 540 may include a Read Only Memory (ROM) and a Random AccessMemory (RAM) and provides instructions and data for the processor 530. Apart of the memory 540 may further include a nonvolatile RAM. Forexample, the memory 540 may further store information on a device type.

During an implementation process, the operations of the above methodsmay be accomplished by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in theprocessor 530 or an instruction in a software form. The operations ofthe methods disclosed in combination the embodiments of the disclosuremay be directly embodied to be executed and accomplished by a hardwareprocessor or executed and accomplished using a combination of hardwareand software modules in the processor. The software module may belocated in a mature storage medium in the art, such as an RAM, a flashmemory, an ROM, a Programmable ROM (PROM), an Electrically EPROM(EEPROM) or a register. The storage medium is located in the memory 540.The processor 530 reads information from the memory 540 and completesthe operations of the foregoing methods in combination with the hardwareof the processor. In order to avoid repetition, the above will not beelaborated herein.

In a specific implementation, the receiving unit 310 in the terminaldevice 300 may be implemented by the input interface 510 in FIG. 16. Thedetermining unit 320, the caching unit 330 and the acquiring unit 340 inthe terminal device 300 may be implemented by the processor 530 in FIG.16.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, an embodiment of the disclosure furtherprovides a network device 600 for information transmission. The networkdevice 600 may be the network device 400 in FIG. 15, and may beconfigured to execute operations of the network device corresponding tothe method 200 in FIG. 13. The network device 600 includes an inputinterface 610, an output interface 620, a processor 630 and a memory640. The input interface 610, the output interface 620, the processor630 and the memory 640 may be connected through a bus system. The memory640 is configured to store a program, an instruction or a code. Theprocessor 630 is configured to execute the program, instruction or codein the memory 640 to control the input interface 610 to receive asignal, control the output interface 620 to send a signal and completeoperations in the above method embodiments.

Therefore, the network device for information transmission in thisembodiment of the disclosure may improve the resource utilization whilemeeting the coverage requirements of the NR high-frequency band, therebyimproving the flexibility of a communication system.

It should be understood that in this embodiment of the disclosure, theprocessor 630 may be a CPU. The processor 630 may further be otheruniversal processors, a DSP, an ASIC, a FPGA or other programmable logicdevices, discrete gates or transistor logic devices, and discretehardware component, etc. The universal processor may be a microprocessoror the processor may also be any conventional processor, etc.

The memory 640 may include a Read Only Memory (ROM) and a Random AccessMemory (RAM) and provides instructions and data for the processor 630. Apart of the memory 640 may further include a nonvolatile RAM. Forexample, the memory 640 may further store information on a device type.

During an implementation process, the operations of the above methodsmay be accomplished by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in theprocessor 630 or an instruction in a software form. The operations ofthe methods disclosed in combination the embodiments of the disclosuremay be directly embodied to be executed and accomplished by means of ahardware processor or executed and accomplished using a combination ofhardware and software modules in the processor. The software module maybe located in a mature storage medium in the art, such as an RAM, aflash memory, an ROM, a Programmable ROM (PROM), an Electrically EPROM(EEPROM) or a register. The storage medium is located in the memory 640.The processor 630 reads information from the memory 640 and completesthe operations of the foregoing methods in combination with the hardwareof the processor. In order to avoid repetition, the above will not beelaborated herein.

In a specific implementation, the sending unit 410 may be implemented bythe output interface 620 in FIG. 17.

Those of ordinary skill in the art may realize that the units andalgorithm operations of each example described in combination with theembodiments disclosed in the disclosure may be implemented by electronichardware or a combination of computer software and the electronichardware. Whether these functions are executed in a hardware or softwaremanner depends on specific applications and design constraints of thetechnical solutions. Professionals may realize the described functionsfor each specific application by use of different methods, but suchrealization shall fall within the scope of the disclosure.

Those skilled in the art may clearly learn about that specific workingprocesses of the system, device and unit described above may refer tothe corresponding processes in the method embodiment and will not beelaborated herein for convenient and brief description.

In some embodiments provided by the disclosure, it is to be understoodthat the disclosed system, device and method may be implemented inanother manner. For example, the device embodiment described above isonly schematic, and for example, division of the units is only logicfunction division, and other division manners may be adopted duringpractical implementation. For example, multiple units or components maybe combined or integrated into another system, or some characteristicsmay be neglected or not executed. In addition, coupling or directcoupling or communication connection between each displayed or discussedcomponent may be indirect coupling or communication connection,implemented through some interfaces, of the device or the units, and maybe electrical and mechanical or adopt other forms.

The units described as separate parts may or may not be physicallyseparated, and parts displayed as units may or may not be physicalunits, and namely may be located in the same place, or may also bedistributed to multiple network units. Part or all of the units may beselected to achieve the purpose of the solutions of the embodimentsaccording to a practical requirement.

In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the disclosuremay be integrated into a processing unit, each unit may also physicallyexist independently, and two or more than two units may also beintegrated into a unit.

When being realized in form of software functional unit and sold or usedas an independent product, the function may also be stored in acomputer-readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, thetechnical solutions of the disclosure substantially or parts makingcontributions to the conventional art or part of the technical solutionsmay be embodied in form of software product, and the computer softwareproduct is stored in a storage medium, including a plurality ofinstructions configured to enable a computer device (which may be apersonal computer, a server, a network device or the like) to executeall or part of the operations of the method in each embodiment of thedisclosure. The abovementioned storage medium includes: various mediacapable of storing program codes such as a U disk, a mobile hard disk,an ROM, an RAM, a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

The above is only the specific implementation mode of the disclosure andnot intended to limit the scope of protection of the disclosure. Anyvariations or replacements apparent to those skilled in the art withinthe technical scope disclosed by the disclosure shall fall within thescope of protection of the disclosure. Therefore, the scope ofprotection of the disclosure shall be subject to the scope of protectionof the claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for information transmission,comprising: receiving, by a terminal device in a first slot or a firstmini-slot, a first synchronization signal (SS) block and a firstphysical downlink control channel (PDCCH) sent by a network device, thefirst slot or the first mini-slot comprising N symbols, the first SSblock occupying M consecutive symbols in the first slot or the firstmini-slot, the first SS block comprising an SS and a physical broadcastchannel (PBCH), wherein M and N are positive integers, and M≤N, whereinin the first slot or the first mini-slot, symbols occupied by the firstPDCCH are at least partially overlapped with the M consecutive symbolsoccupied by the first SS block, and frequency domain resources occupiedby the first PDCCH are non-overlapped with frequency domain resourcesoccupied by the first SS block.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving, by the terminal device in a second slot or asecond mini-slot, a second PDCCH sent by the network device, wherein thesecond slot or the second mini-slot is non-overlapped with a slot ormini-slot including an SS block, and the position of the second PDCCH inthe second slot or the second mini-slot is the same as the position ofthe first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot.
 3. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the terminal device in asecond slot or a second mini-slot, a second PDCCH sent by the networkdevice, wherein the second slot or the second mini-slot isnon-overlapped with a slot or mini-slot including an SS block, and theposition of the second PDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slotis different from the position of the first PDCCH in the first slot orthe first mini-slot.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:receiving, by the terminal device, first indication information andsecond indication information, wherein the first indication informationis configured for indicating the position of the first PDCCH in thefirst slot or the first mini-slot, and the second indication informationis configured for indicating the position of the second PDCCH in thesecond slot or the second mini-slot; determining, by the terminaldevice, the position of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the firstmini-slot and the position of the second PDCCH in the second slot or thesecond mini-slot according to the first indication information and thesecond indication information.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein atleast one of the first indication information or the second indicationinformation is carried in the PBCH or a system message.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the first PDCCH is configured for scheduling at leastone of the following physical downlink data channels: a physicaldownlink data channel in the first slot or the first mini-slot, aphysical downlink data channel in at least one slot or mini-slot afterthe first slot or the first mini-slot, or a physical downlink datachannel in at least one slot or mini-slot prior to the first slot or thefirst mini-slot.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein downlink controlinformation carried on the first PDCCH is configured for indicating thatthe physical downlink data channel scheduled by the first PDCCH is in atleast one slot or mini-slot prior to the first slot or the firstmini-slot, and the method further comprises: receiving, by the terminaldevice, third indication information, wherein the third indicationinformation is configured for indicating positions of physical downlinkdata channels, capable of being scheduled by the first PDCCH, in the atleast one slot or mini-slot; caching, by the terminal device accordingto the third indication information, data carried on the physicaldownlink data channels, capable of being scheduled by the first PDCCH,in the at least one slot or mini-slot; acquiring, by the terminal deviceaccording to the first PDCCH, data corresponding to the first PDCCH fromthe data cached by the terminal device and carried on the physicaldownlink data channels, capable of being scheduled by the first PDCCH,in the at least one slot or mini-slot.
 8. A terminal device forinformation transmission, comprising: an input interface, configured toreceive, in a first slot or a first mini-slot, a first synchronizationsignal (SS) block and a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)sent by a network device, the first slot or the first mini-slotcomprising N symbols, the first SS block occupying M consecutive symbolsin the first slot or the first mini-slot, the first SS block comprisingan SS and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), wherein M and N arepositive integers, and M≤N, wherein in the first slot or the firstmini-slot, symbols occupied by the first PDCCH are at least partiallyoverlapped with the M consecutive symbols occupied by the first SSblock, and frequency domain resources occupied by the first PDCCH arenon-overlapped with frequency domain resources occupied by the first SSblock.
 9. The terminal device of claim 8, wherein the input interface isfurther configured to: receive, in a second slot or a second mini-slot,a second PDCCH sent by the network device, wherein the second slot orthe second mini-slot is non-overlapped with a slot or mini-slotincluding an SS block, and the position of the second PDCCH in thesecond slot or the second mini-slot is the same as the position of thefirst PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot.
 10. The terminaldevice of claim 8, wherein the input interface is further configured to:receive, in a second slot or a second mini-slot, a second PDCCH sent bythe network device, wherein the second slot or the second mini-slot isnon-overlapped with a slot or mini-slot including an SS block, and theposition of the second PDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slotis different from the position of the first PDCCH in the first slot orthe first mini-slot.
 11. The terminal device of claim 10, wherein theinput interface is further configured to: receive first indicationinformation and second indication information, wherein the firstindication information is configured for indicating the position of thefirst PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot, and the secondindication information is configured for indicating the position of thesecond PDCCH in the second slot or the second mini-slot; the terminaldevice further comprises: a processor, configured to determine theposition of the first PDCCH in the first slot or the first mini-slot andthe position of the second PDCCH in the second slot or the secondmini-slot according to the first indication information and the secondindication information.
 12. The terminal device of claim 11, wherein atleast one of the first indication information or the second indicationinformation is carried in the PBCH or a system message.
 13. The terminaldevice of claim 8, wherein the first PDCCH is configured for schedulingat least one of the following physical downlink data channels: aphysical downlink data channel in the first slot or the first mini-slot,a physical downlink data channel in at least one slot or mini-slot afterthe first slot or the first mini-slot, or a physical downlink datachannel in at least one slot or mini-slot prior to the first slot or thefirst mini-slot.
 14. The terminal device of claim 8, wherein the inputinterface is further configured to: receive, in a third slot or a thirdmini-slot, a second SS block and a third PDCCH sent by the networkdevice, wherein the second SS block comprises an SS and a PDCCH, and thefirst SS block is different from the second SS block.